Indicating means



July 11, 1950 Filed Sept. 3, 1949 G. A. JUST, JR

INDICATING MEANS 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 650,405 4. Jun; J:

y 1950 G. A. JUST, JR

INDICATING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1949 I INVENTOR. GIG/Q6! A. #017,? Jr.

Patented July 11, i950 "LCPIIUNITE,D STAT ND QAT George A. Just, J n, l hiladelphia, =Pa., assignor to h ration of Pennsylvania Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, l?a., a corpo- Application septernber 3 1949, SerialNo. 113,979

tion therewith.

, It-has been knowmprior to thepresent invention, to provide radio dial indicators which move with rectilinear motion, and indicating devices have been devised in which the indicator or pointer travels in a circular or other arcuate path, but always about a center which lies at some point within the physical structure of the radio cabinet. Such indicating devices have fre quently left much to be desired, particularly in that they do not lend themselves well to p1easing and varied cabinet designs. In the case of indicators which have moved in an arcuate path, the necessity for layingout the dial scale on an arc the center of which falls Within the cabinetry, has sharply limited the utility of such arrangements. v

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide improved indicating means which is inherently versatile, from the standpoint of thevariations of overall design treatment which can be accommodated. With more particularity, the invention has a an object the provision of indicating apparatus in,

which the pointer is adapted to move in a curved, or other arcuate path, and about a center which may lie at a point outside the cabinet structure.

2, Claims. I (Cl. fie-134.2

is concerned with india pathcurved in oneplane only, it is a feature of the invention that the track may have curvature in two coordinate planes.

The invention extends further to certain novel constructional features and arrangements, hereinafter describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: a

Figure lis a view, in perspective, of a radi receiver embodying indicating apparatus constructed in accordance with the present inven- Figure 2 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale' illustratingthe application of the invention tqatypical radio chassis;

'Figure3 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view, taken through apparatus of thetype illustrated in Figure l, and showing, on a considerably'larger scale, certain details of the pointer driving arrangement Figure f1 is a fragmentary view, in perspective,

" illustratingthe pointer, per se,in association with In the achievement of the foregoing general ends, the apparatus of the invention employs a plate or frame comprising track means having suitably curved peripheral edge portions about which a carriage,carrying the pointer e1e-,

ment-is adapted to move. A flexible driving element or cord is drivingly associated with the carriage, and novel means is provided'to confine the movements of the drive cord to a path generally paralleling the curvature of the track. In this way driving force is applied to thecarriage in adirection along the curved path, regardless of the specific curvature which may be chosen, thereby reducing the necessary driving pressure to a minimum. While, inthe interest.

of simplicity of illustration, the apparatus is shown as including a pointer adapted to move in fragmentary portions of the pointer-support means; and p,

Figure 5 is a view of: the track and cooperating, cord-guidemeans, the view also illustrating the pointer in two positions ofadjustment.

, New making more particular reference to the drawings, there is illustrated in Figure 1 a radio cabinet, designated generally bythe reference numeral I 0, having an upwardly presented transparent dial cover ll, suitable indicia l2 laid out on a circular path and underlying said cover, and atransparent indicator or pointer element l3, adapted for arcuate movement beneath the transparent cover and with respect to the numerals of the scale. A metallic plate underlies the pointer [3 to mask the radio chassis from View, this plate being centrally apertured to accommodate attachment of the pointer to the parts which actuate the same (see Figure 3).

Asappears to best advantage in Figures 2 and 3, the indicating apparatus includes a track or plate |4 WhiCh,-'i1fl the embodiment illustrated, is semi-circular in shape, a carriage member I5 being engaged with the peripheral edge of plate It lies, the plate I4 and is provided with curved por tions l'l and I8, whereby to support thepointer I3. Preferably the spring member [6, is in align-Q ment with and underlies the pointer [3, in order that the pointer may appear to be unsupported, as seen from a normal viewin position above the dial scale.

As clearly appears in Figure 4, the carriage is provided with a plurality of lugs I9 struck up from the metal of said carriage and adapted to make frictional engagement withafi exible driving element or cord 29. The above 'described assembly is carried by a vertically extending mounting bracket 2| (Figure 3), which serves to support the plate, and the elements carried thereby, in suitable spaced relation with respect to the radio chassis 22. As' w-illbe-appreciated, the invention is not concerned-wi ththe radio ap paratus, per se, except insofar as the elements thereof cooperate with the noveltindic'ating apparatus of the invention. In the exemplary arrangement illustrated, the radio circuits are tuned through the agency of a variable condenser 2-3',"0f known ty e, said condenser'being provided with the usual drive pulley ('24 and-:a m'anually ep erable tuning shaft 25.

'In particular accordance with this invention, and as Will be readily apparent from considera-= tion-of Figure .2, the peripheraledgeof plate is so configured and disposed with respect t'o' the chassis 22,tha't the pointer or in'dicat'or l3 moves in an arcu'ate' path having afcenter lying wen forwardly of the chassis. -Fur'then'the pointe does not extend completely back to the center 'of motion. These factors are-"or considerable importance in the realiza'tion of versatile and ple'a'sing designs, and also make it possible tama-ee' an indicating lamp, shown at man a location near the'centerof thedial scale.

' To'e'ffect' m'ovement' of the pc'inter- 13 in correspondence with the-adjustment of the va'riable condenser, the driving arrangement whih w-ill be fully -desciibed' in what follows is such tl'f-at the drive cord 2'0 encircles the drive pulley 2'4 the shaft-'25, the free ends ofsaid drive cord- -being fixed to the pulley 24 through the age'r'iey or tension'spring's 2 andina manner w'ell them in thi art. As clearly appears --in1 '-igure 3- theupper -peii'pheral edge of the pulley 24 is approximately tangent "to the plane of the plate I 4; in order that the upperrundf the drive 'cord 2'0 may pass freely across and ones the pulley24. The

lower run is guided i-n-its movement toward the drive pulley through the'ag'ency-of a small guide wheel or pulley, shown-at 2'4"in Figure 2. A finger-""2 8 (-see partic'ularly Figure 2) is engaged with the drive cord, serving to guide the same in its movement toward 'thepulley. 'The'fmanner in which the cord iscngag'ed with thepulleyan'd with the-drive shaft 25 represents conventional practice, and-need not be described-in grammetail herein.

Although,- in its broader-aspects;the invention contemplates -a variety of means 'forcor'ifin-ing movements of the-drive cord in a-path generally paralleling 'the arcuate edge of track or plate 14, the arrangement illustrated is' -particularly advantageous.

In order .that' the carriage member l 5 -m-ay always he urged radially with respect to and inwardly of the plate .I 4'-toinsure 'firm ahd prop'er the drive cord overlying plate l4 must movethroughout the range of adjustment of the carriage-in a path generally paralleling the arcuate peripheral edge of the track plate. These requirements are simply fulfilled by the illustrated mechanism and to accomplish these purposes, the drive cord is confined in a path of movement' defined by a plurality of studs upstanding from the'plate I4 and shown in thedrawing at 29 to 33, inclusive. As is well illustrated in -'-Figure 5, these studs serve to maintain the drive cord-in the proper arcuate path, thereby facilii'ltating easy driving of the mechanism, and yet, as thecarriage moves-about the track, the portions seating of said :carriageimember itis' ne'cessary that the drive cord exert force against 's'aid 'car riage in a radial direction with irespect to the plate M. This isdesirableiin all positions which the carriage may assume aboutithe'curved tr ack. Further, in order that the force' required to move the shaft =25 shall remain small, the portions of *bf' the -'cbrd'-adiacent the carriage advance into "andmoveoutof'engagement with the studs in such manner thatthe cord portions adjacent the carriage are always so angled with respect the 'cen'ter-line of said carriage as to urge said carmeansuti-liz'ewto confine movement of the drive cord {may be further illustrated bypointing out thativhile itniight at first appear that the cord could pass 'tlireetly from the'stud 29 to the carri'ag'emember-and from thence'to the stud 33, in -practice 'sueh' an-"arrangement would be -0bjeotiona-ble in tha' ta very 'substantial component o'f the force applied' to the-carriage would-be exerted radially of' t-he plate 44, andthe friction would be increased unduly. By the inclusion-of additional studsi for example, those studs shown at'SUi-t li nd -32y the=porti0ns of the cord lying intermediate 'thecarriage and either of the studs 29"or *38--or caused to approach thearcuate edge of plate I, thus increasing'the force available to' move the-carriage in the directionf curvature of' -its' guiding track, without-eliminating a small de'slirable"component*of *force exerted in a radial direction with respect to'theplate.

*Fromthe foregoing description it will be clear that the present invention'provide anovel type of visual-indicator which is simple a-nd 'inexpensive -tohnanufacture. and highly reliable in operation. accurate and-distinct indication 'of the frequ'encyto"ivhich radio apparatus is tuned is a sig nificant-factor'from the sales acceptance peint of view-, -andthe disclosed apparatus-affords these atlvaiitages while -yet lending itself to unusual and decorative -cabinet"'designs.

lfelai mz Indicating apparatus -for use with a scale or other reference element, whichapparatus comprises: flat track plate' liavinga curved peripheral edge portion; -carriage means engaged with saidedge portion -a nd adapted for sliding movements-therealong in substantialconformity with the curvature F thereof and in -the plane of said track plat'e, an' elon gate' flexible driving element having a run thereotin drivingassociation with saidcarriage means, means for imparting driving movements to 1 said flexible driving 1 element,- and to confine movements of said element in a path generally paralleling the portion.

2. In indicating apparatus, a cabinet having an opening in one side wall thereof, a flat track plate disposed within said cabinet in confronting relation with respect to said opening and having a curved. peripheral edge portion, carriage means engaged with said edge portion, a plurality of individual abutments upstanding from said track plate and spaced about and inwardly of the curved peripheral edge portion, an elongate flexible driving element having a portion thereof in driving association with said carriage means, said abutments being disposed to make contact with said flexible driving element and to confine movecurvature of said edge ments of the same in a path generally paralleling the curvature of said edge portion, whereby to provide for sliding movements of said carriage means along said edge portion in substantial conformity with the curvature thereof and in the plane of said track plate, a pointer member supported upon said carriage means for movement therewith and overlying said track plate, and dial means including a transparent covering spanning said opening and being provided with indicia disposed to define an arcuate dial in registry with the path of movement of said carriage means and pointer member.

GEORGE A. JUST, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,397,306 Whipple Mar. 26, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 451,146 Great Britain July 30, 1946 

